Justin A. Talven

I'm an author, working to finish my first book. Solicitors in DMs will be blocked.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@tolmach_d @asnauthor @pensandpoison I can't tell if you genuinely don't understand the problem, or you are being argumentative. Either way, there is no point talking to a brick wall.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@tolmach_d @asnauthor @pensandpoison No, it's not head hopping or omniscient. It's literally just description.

For example, if the character didn't know that the dog she was looking at was a pomeranian she could just say it was a "small fluffy, rat of a dog that yipped at me as I passed."

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@MitchellDHadley @MillerDakotaJ "Booker Prize for Fiction" HOW!

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@tolmach_d @asnauthor @pensandpoison You can show what something is within a limited view even if the character doesn't know. It's all in how you described it, but nothing in this scene is described.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@pensandpoison This reads like something I would write when I have literally no idea what the scene is about, but I need two characters to talk to one another.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@mjvalentour

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@saguaro_ghost I'd return those books so fast. That's just a waste of paper at this point.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@StevenTBoers63 I tired once, but I just couldn't get into it. I used a basic DnD type system for stats, but I kept running into issue during fights where I'd have to stop and go

"Okay, he has 5 STR, and is trying to grab someone with 4 STR and 8 AGI. How does this work?"

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

Well, my TBR is full for the rest of the month... and maybe a bit more.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

Pantsing a book is much like listening to a two year old tell a story. You have no idea what is going on, but you can tell they are really enthusiastic about it.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@HannahWardEdu Fun fact: neither Mr Beast nor James Patterson wrote this book.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@Jdsamuels25 look at where they are from, if it's anywhere in Africa, it's a scam. If not, it's likely still a scam. Just block them.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@AuthorTRobare I try not to damage my books while reading, including opening the book too far.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@monsterhunter45 I'm just going to start using the word "delve" because AI doesn't get to own the words.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

My writing is terrible and no one would ever read it.

Also me reading a random book: "this is terrible. I could write better than this."

[Skryvener @sarahs_sky]

I'm a bad writer.

Dakota Miller is also a bad writer.

Most of us are bad writers.

When faced with that reality, some of us scream and cry and turn to the machines to coddle our poor little egos. Others of us look at it, nod, and roll up our sleeves.

I'm a terrible writer. I'm a glorious editor. Realizing that I could directly confront the mistakes that probably would have left me catatonic (because I am an absolute perfectionist) and not just fix them, but improve beyond myself... that was.... well, I kinda imagine that's what getting super powers is like.

There are people who choose to be hurt by the realization that they suck at writing. Even try to use it as an insult. Think it's an insult directed toward them.

It is not. It's an acknowledgement of reality. The reality we all have to face if we want to produce anything worthwhile. If we want to do more than piddle ten or twenty copies of a book out into the hands of those we've managed to scam, and then wonder why our author dreams aren't coming true. And why the arts languish in darkness.

Check my bio, I don't lie, and I don't hide things. Call me a sycophant of the church of editing. It's not for the faint of heart. But it is for those who want to be better than they are today, and want to keep getting better.

And, as my final word on the matter, when the time comes to publish my books, I'll be happy to put my numbers up against Dakota's. After all, in any kind of duck-measuring contest... well, we already know who wins.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@PunishedTimo "As somewhat of a flipping expert, you cant flip your body around once you are off the ground"

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@JayLongWrites You shouldn't only be on KDP. If their AI mods decide to remove you, there is nothing you can do about it.

Diversifying is the answer. But at the same time, not being on KDP is just silly. It's still one of the biggest markets.

[Justin A. Talven @Justin_A_Talven]

@DanNEO_SS my real name is so common literally every combination was already an author. So I just changed my last name and swapped the other two around.